How allergic patients inform themselves? An exploratory study in a French university hospital ; Comment s’informent les patients allergiques ? Une étude exploratoire dans un CHU français

International audience ; Study objective – The objective of this study was to apprehend information practices of patients receiving allergy care. Patients and methods – We conducted a prospective monocentric study administering a questionnaire to 200 patients consulting for any type of allergy in a French university hospital center. Respondents provided answers on their socio-demographic characteristics, personal practices for seeking information on allergies, understanding of the information shared by allergists, and doctor’s attitude. Results – 68% of patients declared informing themselves on allergies. Healthcare professionals were their main sources of information (allergist 66%, family doctor 57%, other specialists 5%), followed by the Internet (22%), leaflets from pharmaceutical laboratories (16%), and traditional media (television 11%, press 6%, radio, 2%). Patients expressed the need for information and explanations from the allergist, regarding the diagnosed allergy, adverse effects, and duration of treatment. 31% of them encountered difficulty in understanding the information shared by the doctor during the consultation, especially in patients suffering from respiratory allergies, with a short clinical history, an educational level below high school diploma and among those who do not seek information on allergies besides medical consultation.Discussion and conclusion – The study led to identify first outlines on information practices of allergy patients. The work will be continued by a qualitative study. ; But de l’étude – L’objectif de cette étude était d’appréhender les pratiques informationnelles des patients pris en charge en allergologie. Patients et méthodes – Nous avons mené une étude prospective monocentrique par questionnaire, auprès de 200 patients consultant pour des allergies dans un centre hospitalo-universitaire français. Les répondants ont fourni des réponses sur leurs caractéristiques socio-démographiques, les pratiques de recherche d’informations sur les allergies, la compréhension des ...